Laminated tube.



E. S. NICEWARNER.

LAMINATED TUBE.

APPLICATION FILED APR-8. I915.

Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

llld PATENT FFMEEQ EDWARD S. NICEWARNER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

LAMINATED TUBE.

Application filed April 8, 1915.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it knownth'at I, EnwARo' S. 'Nrcn- WARNER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State oflllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in LaminatedTubes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates in general to tubular structures and moreparticularly to conduit tubes for fluids and has special reference tocomposite or laminated vtubes including an outer portion or shoe and aninner portion or lining.

While tubes embodying my present invention are of a wide range'ofutility and a number of different structures such as tires, pipes, andthe like, employ "my invention to advantage, I find it ofparticularusefulness in connection with flexible hose and especially that type ofhosewhichis commonly known as fire hose, this article of manufacturebeing desirable of great flexibility not only laterally in i order thatit may be carried through tortuous passages, but also longitudinallyinorderthat it may be stored in a small space when not'in use, as bywinding it upon a reel, weaving it back and forth in a Wagon bed, Or-hanging it in coils from a rack. i

In order that fire hose'may -occupy the minimum space when not in use,it is-comnionly manufactured so that it will collapse alongpredetermined lines upon removal of the internal pressure,thuspermitting' it to be stored flat. Usually suchhose are-formed withan outer portion'or shoe of non-distensi-ble cotton or linen fabricwhichgives the necessary mechanical strengthHa-nd an inner portion oflining of relatively soft rubber for making the hose Watertight. Suchhose suffer from the defect-that the rubber lining in the neighborhoodof the fold tends to dry out and set as a result of the greatcompression'of the'inner periphcry of the lining which squeezes out thenatural moisture of the rubber. On inflation or expansion the innerperiphery of the rubber at the fold is subjected to great strain, fargreater than that" onv the other parts of the inner periphery of, therubber lining owing to the fact thatthe:rubber lining of the flattenedpa-rt tendsito be compressed (assuming the cover to "be; 1nextensible)while the rubber lining of the folded part has tobestretched'peripherally specification of Letters-Patent.

Patented Dec. id, 1915..

Serial No. 20,038.

two or three times its length when folded. This strain is evidentlygreatest on the innor-periphery of the tube as this is the part wherethe greatest compression and expansion takes place. As soon thereforeasthe rubber lining in the neighborhood of the fold becomes dry anddc-natured a crack inevitably forms from the inside outwardly. Thiscrack deepens every time the tube is expanded after being in thefoldedcondition since the deeper the crack the less the hardened portions ofrubber on either side will yield on expansion of the hose. "l/Vaterentering these fractures, incases where the rubber lining and theoutercoating areunited by the adhesive power of the rubberto secure alaminated fabric, tends either to leak through the" hose, and to, renderitimpracticably if not substantially impossible to thoroughly dryout theouter coating, with-consequent rotting out and eventual rupture of theouter coating and destruction of the hose, or to immediate bursting ofthe outer coating.

I am aware that it has been proposed to prevent the cracking ofstructures of the present character by theemployment ofrubber insets orby thickening the ,rubber of the lining adjacent the be'ndingpoints ofthe hose. -Suchinsets or thickeningof the lining however, do not preventcracking of the lining, and are not K included within the scope of myinvention, since theyareaiseless for my present purposes, becausethickening of the rubber lining: at the bending point,

Whether by increasing the diameterwofithe sheetof lining material oradding. an auxiliary inset tends to aggravate the trouble by increasingthe compression, along the fold and thereby increasin g therequired-degree of expansion of theinner peri phery at that point. Thecrack tends therefore to develop earlier than in theicase; of an,ordinary tube and once started the crack deepens more readily as theportionsadjacent the crack are thicker and therefore tend to yield lessreadily onexpansiorrof;thehose. It'has also been proposed to makethelining free from the casing along the lineof fold andsome distance oneither sideof the; same sothat the lining may bend attheioldtindependently Of!tl1 casing. This arrangement does not meet thediflicultyow ingto the fact that the thickness oftherubberlining is notdecreased along the line of'fold and theradius of curvature of therubber I lining is not decreased by making it free from the casing.Accordingly the rubber on the inner periphery of the tube'is required toexpand to two or three times its length when compressed by flatteningthe tube.

The principal objects of the present invention are therefore to providean improved collapsible tube characterized by the provision of meanswhereby the strain on the inner periphery of the rubber lining along thefold is reduced to a minimum; the provision of a lining for collapsibletubes characterized by a reduction in the depth of solid rubberextending from the inside of the tube outward along the folded portionsof the tube; the provision of a reinforcement located adjacent the innerperiphery of the tube and limited in area to the folded portions of thetube and neighboring portions thereof to take the strain of expansion onthe rubber lining adjacent the folds while allowing thelining at otherparts of the tube to freely expand during the flattening or foldingoperation; and generally to provide an improved structure of the typeset forth at a minimum of cost.

In overcoming certain disadvantages referred to and in attaining theforegoing objects and certain additional benefits and advantages to bebelow disclosed I have provided the construction illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a transverse sectional viewof a fire hose embodying my present improvements in preferred form, thehose being shown in the distended position it assumes when subject tointernal pressure before vulcanization; Fig. 2 is a similar view of thesame hose, in the position it assumes on collapsing when the internalpressure is removed; Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of anotherembodiment of my improvements, the hose being shown in the distendedposition; Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of a still furtherembodiment of my improvements, the hose being shown in the distendedposition; Fig. 4 is a similar view of the hose shown in Fig. 3 in thecollapsed position.

Referring first to Fig. 1 of the drawing, it will be observed that Ihave indicated at 10 the outer casing or shoe of the hose, whichcomprises a suitable tubular fabric, and at 11 the inner coating orlining which is 'preferably built up of a number of concentricconvolutions of rubber, which may be conveniently attained by theemployment of a plurality of tubes as is indicated at 12 and 13, suchtubes being arranged to be joined together and the structure thus formedto be forced into intimate contact with the member 10 by the well knownheat and pressure process of vulcanization not necessary here todescribe. After the vulcanizing process the hose is preferably given aform in cross section such as is shown in Fig. 2, which it will at alltimes assume upon collapsing when the internal pressure of the stream ofwater is removed, though this form disappears, of course, when the hoseis distended by water pressure, since it then assumes the form shown inFig. 1.

In order to overcome the tendency of the lining 11 to crease andfracture adjacent the bending points indicated at 16-16 (Fig. 2), Iinsert at or adjacent the inner periphery of the lining 11longitudinally disposed strips of fabric 1717, which should extendthroughout the entire length of the hose. These strips should preferablybe made of relatively thin and tough textile fabric of less thicknessthan that of the cover 1012513. The members 17-17 should cover theentire bending points 16-16.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings it will be seen thatinstead of arranging a fabric reinforcement in the body of the rubberlining or on the inner periphery of the same the inner rubber lining isformed with recesses 18 in which are arranged fabric strips 19. Thesefabric strips may be cemented to the rubber lining 11 or may be looselylaid thereon, in which case they are held in position by means of thelips 20 formed on either side of the recesses 18. lhe rubber lining ispreferably built up of a number of layers of rubber, the innerconvolution or convolutions consisting of a complete tube or tubes whilethe outer convolutions may be formed by applying fiat strips of rubberto either side of these tubes. A built-up tube of this nature is morereadily formed than a solid integral tube with a recess 18 moldedtherein.

As in the case of form of hose shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the hose, afterthe vulcanization process, is preferably given a form in cross sectionsuch as is shown in Fig. 4; which it will at all times resume uponcollapsing when the internal pressure of the stream of water is removed.

The tendency of the lining 11 to crease and fracture adjacent thebending points 16 is overcome in this form of construction as a resultof the thinness of the rubber lining at these points. As the rubberlining is made specially thin at these points there is relatively littlechange in the peripheral lengths of the outside and inside respectivelyof the lining when the hose is ex- 10 panded. This means that the strainplaced upon the inner periphery of the lining at the part 16 isrelatively slight.

Although the fabric strip 19 is shown in Fig. 4 and Fig. 3 on the outerside of the lining 11 such an arrangement is not essential as it mayequally well be arranged on the inner side of the same as shown in Fig.3, in which case however, it is necessary that the fabric strip becemented to the lining 11.

Having thus described my invention and illust 'ated its use what I claimas new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A tubular structure comprising an outer coating, an inner lining ofrubber and a longitudinally disposed strip of fabric adapted to limitthe depth of solid rubber extending from the inside of the tube outwardover the area covered by such strip of fabric.

2. A collapsible tubular structure comprising an outer coating, an innerlining of rubber and longitudinally disposed strips of fabric adjacentthe lines of fold of the structure secured to said coating and liningthe depth of solid rubber extending from the inside of the tube outwardbeing reduced over the areas covered by such strips of fabric.

3. A collapsible tubular structure comprising an outer substantiallyinextensible coating, an inner lining of rubber, and longitudinallydisposed strips of fabric adjacent the lines of fold of the structuresecured to said coating and lining adapted to reduce the depth of solidrubber extending from the inside of the tube outward over the areascovered by such strips of fabric.

4. A tubular structure comprising an outer coating, an inner lining ofrubber and oppositely disposed longitudinal fabric reinforcementarranged in recesses in said lining and secured thereto.

5. A tubular structure comprising an outer coating, an inner lining ofrubber and oppositely disposed longitudinal fabric reinforcementarranged in recesses in the inner face of said lining.

6. A collapsible tubular structure comprising an outer coating, an innerlining of rubber and oppositely disposed longitudinal fabricreinforcements secured thereto adjacent each line of fold and arrangedin recesses in the inner face of said lining.

7. A laminated tube comprising, in combination, a collapsible outerjacket or shoe of woven fabric and an inner tubular lining of rubber,the thickness of said inner tube being decreased adjacent the oppositelydisposed lines of fold of said jacket, and supplemental longitudinalreinforcing strips of fabric being inserted between said outer jacketand said inner tube at the said lines of fold.

8. A laminated tube comprising, in combination, a collapsible outerjacket or shoe of woven fabric and an inner tubular lining of rubber,the thickness of said inner tube being decreased adjacent the oppositelydisposed lines of fold of said jacket, and supplemental longitudinalreinforcing strips of smooth-faced fabric being inserted between saidouter jacket and said inner tube at the said lines of fold.

9. A laminated tube comprising, in combination, a collapsible outerjacket or shoe of Woven fabric and an inner tubular lining of rubber,the thickness of said inner tube being decreased adjacent the oppositedisposed lines of fold of said jacket, and supplemental longitudinalreinforcing strips of fabric being inserted between said outer jacketand said inner tube at the said lines of fold, said supplemental stripsbeing attached to said inner lining by vulcanization and to said jacketby cement.

10. A tubular structure comprising an outer coating, an inner lining ofrubber and a longitudinally disposed strip of fabric adapted to dividesaid lining over a portion of the surface thereof, whereby the distancesaid lining may crease along such portions of the surface is limited andthe lining can stretch adjacent the other portions of its surface duringthe collapsing of the tube.

11. A tubular structure comprising an outer coating, an inner lining ofrubber and a longitudinally disposed strip of fabric adapted to dividesaid lining over a portion of the surface thereof, whereby the distancesaid lining may crease along such portions of the surface is limited.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence ofthe two subscribed witnesses.

EDWARD S. NICEWARNER.

Witnesses:

RIDSDALE ELLIS, DONALD C. WILLIAMS. a

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

